March 2016 Travels in Review – Mexico

In late January, 2016, I entered Mexico from Belize at the far southern end of Yucatan Peninsula. Through Feb. and March I continued exploring diverse and beautiful Yucatan. 

March brought me to the historic colonial cities of Valladolid, Merida and Campeche, where I greatly enjoyed the stunning architecture and plethora of performances.

I also cycled to several cenotes near Valladolid and watched three amazing night time light/video shows projected on ancient Mayan ruins, a historic Spanish cathedral and a column-ed colonial building.

I reached the Gulf of Mexico at three different points, saw pink flamingos and a crocodile in the wild, floated in ultra-saline water at Rio Lagartos, took a clay bath, observed naturally-pink water, and saw Mexico’s longest pier – a whopping 47 km long!

At the end of March, I got ‘stuck’ at amazing Tulum Beach, with its bohemian-style hotels, fantastic alternative music scene and some very special people.

Following are the details, via my travel updates on FB through March:

A. Valladolid

*new* PHOTO GALLERY: Valladolid, Mexico

Valladolid is a beautifully restored colonial Spanish town in central Yucatan.

With it’s pretty pastel buildings, stone streets, shady plazas and historic churches, it was one of my favorite places in Yucatan so far.

Here are 20 photos from my visit there –

SEE PHOTOS – https://www.lashworldtour.com/…/photos-of-valladolid-mexico.

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Cenote in Valladolid town

TRAVEL UPDATE MEXICO: OMG- THIS cenote is IN the town of Valladolid!

I mean right in the middle of town, just 3 blocks from the main plaza.

How cool is that?!

…besides this town cenote, about a half dozen other gorgeous cenotes lie within a few km outside town. I’m cycling out to several of them today…

…more cenote photos coming soon!

I just can’t believe the gorgeous water colors!

Mexico is awesome!

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Tequila shop in Valladolid

TRAVEL UPDATE MEXICO: I found this super cool tequila shop here in Valladolid!

How cool is THIS?!

….just one of Valladolid’s many random cool spots I’ve stumbled across while wandering the town.

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funny bread in Valladolid

Ha ha ha, check out this funny bread I bought here in VAlladolid!

I’ve never seen such a wacky-shaped pastry before. It looks like a volcano or an alien space ship!

Luckily, it’s very tasty. Like a big biscuit sprinkled with sugar, slightly sweet but not quite a dessert…

What do you think it looks like?

Main Cathedral in Valladolid

Valladolid also has several beautiful churches, cathedrals & monasteries…

Here are two of the most striking ones….

The pink church is just two doors from my artsy little hostel! I see it every time I step outside or return to my place. Very pretty.

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I grabbed a few shots of this lizard at Valladolid’s in-town cenote.

It’s moments like this when it’s especially nice to have a great camera in hand! Just LOVE my 50 x zoom!

Look how cool his spiky tail is!

I went back the next day and he was still in the exact same place on the tree. Hmph!

Lash & Amber in cenote

I recently visited several cenotes with my new American pal, Amber…

We did a day tour cycling out to various cenotes near Valladolid.

I was surprised at how different each cenote is! One was completely open at the top and had a waterfall cascading down into the deep pool below…

Two others were almost completely enclosed on top (caves) with a small opening letting bright sunlight beams down onto the turquoise waters below…

But I wasn’t surprised at how COLD the water is! I did manage to get into one of them for a refreshing swim in the middle of the day. Amber swam in all of them!

B. Rio Lagartos

Lash getting Horseshoe Crab massage-001

OMG – I just had one of my best days in Mexico to date! ….

I ventured up to Rio Lagartos on the Gulf of Mexico with Amber, a fun American woman I met & pal-ed up with for a few days…

Rio Lagartos is famous for pink flamingos, clay mud baths and naturally-pink super-salty water! We saw it all on a 3-hour boat tour with a fun local guide…

He started our tour with an extra surprise: Horseshoe Crab Massage! WTF?! ..hilarious!

Photos of pink flamingos, us in clay and pink water coming up next…

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More photos from one of my best days in Mexico to date. in Rio Lagartos ….

Rio Lagartos is famous for pink flamingos, clay mud baths and naturally-pink super-salty water! We saw it all on a 3-hour boat tour with a fun local guide…

Here are the beautiful pink flamingos… and 1 crocodile…

pink flamingos of Rio Lagartos – Mexico

And even more photos from one of my best days in Mexico to date- in Rio Lagartos ….

In case you missed my earlier postings, Rio Lagartos is famous for pink flamingos, clay mud baths and naturally-pink super-salty water! We saw it all on a 3-hour boat tour with a fun local guide…

Out at the salt flats, our boatman ‘painted’ us both in clay, head to toe…then I painted him up a bit too…

here’s the result…

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Pink water at Rio Lagartos!

Rio Lagartos lies on the Gulf Coast of Yucatan and is famous for pink flamingos, clay mud baths and naturally-pink super-salty water! We saw it all on a 3-hour boat tour with a fun local guide…

Can you believe this water is naturally colored pink?! How bizarre!

The boatman explained to me that there are tiny micro-organisms in the water – an animal – that produces the pink color.

The water is super saline, too, and warm, so we were able to get in and float ultra-high…just like at the Dead Sea in the Middle East…

…and the super saline water also produces heaps and heaps of foam that gathers on the shores. Even a gentle wind blows billows of foam around in the air. It was all very un-Earth-like!

Foam at pink salt flats – Rio Lagartos

*new post* TRAVEL PERSPECTIVES: My 1st Impressions of Mexico

Well, I must say – this post is long overdue!

I’ve been traveling in Mexico for 6 full weeks but have yet to write one single article about this great country!

…and that’s mainly because I’ve been having too many great experiences to find time to write!

So here it is at last: My 1st Impressions of Mexico…

READ POST – https://www.lashworldtour.com/…/my-first-impressions-of-mexi…

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In Rio Lagartos I also stayed in a rather upscale little hotel with a fabulous lobby…

How’s this for a cool hotel hang out space?!

It was only because I pal-ed up with Amber, a fun American woman I met, that I was able to afford it…

Even then, at 700 pesos / $40 US – $20 US each, it was double what I’m used to paying…

But it was great having a cozy private room with hot showers and views over the town & sea….But, oops, I forgot to take photos of our room!

Here’s the lobby anyhow…

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C. Merida

TODAY IN TRAVELS QUESTION:

Can anyone enlighten me on the HUGE interest in skeletons and skulls in Mexico???

Skeletons and skulls are a very common theme all over Yucatan and seem to be part of the traditional culture here…but I still don’t know why! I’ve asked locals, but didn’t really understand their explanations…

So if anyone can tell me what it’s all about, much appreciated!

swimming pool at Nomadas Hostel – Merica – Mexico

Check out this great hostel I’ve been staying at in Merida city…

Talk about great value for a hostel~!

Dorm bed cost includes brk, drinking water, wifi…as usual..

…BUT there’s also a beautiful pool in a garden surrounded by century’s old stone walls + many great courtyards & sitting spaces + giant-size, spacious dorm rooms..

AND FREE salsa classes, yoga and Yuctan cooking lessons! Nearly every day!~

…photos of me in Salsa class coming up next.

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I’ve been taking salsa classes every evening at my fab Merida hostel! they’re FREE~!

Most nights I mix myself up a couple of tasty mojitos before class and sip them during the 1 1/2 hour class while dancing.

SOoooo much fun dancing again! MAkes me look forward to more of C & S America a few months down the road…

Anyone else here like salsa?

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I had a date in Merida!

Yep, met up with a local photographer/photography instructor who I met on Tinder.. ha aha ha!

He’s a great guy, speaks perfect English and was quite the gentleman. We had a great time….Too bad he doesn’t want t travel the world! anyhow…

It was Sunday night, so we stumbled upon the Sunday evening public dance & dance band in Merida’s central plaza…

We joined in the dancing until the band finished. Great fun watching all the older MExican couples dancing together!

What a wonderful tradition here in Mexico. 

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Sunday public dancing in Merida

Merida has LOTS of free pubic activities on weekends…

Besides the huge public dances in the main plaza that I wrote about recently…

One main boulevard is closed off to traffic so people can cycle, walk their dogs and stroll with family & friends. VERY popular, as you can see!

All along the blvd are performances – small bands, traditional MAyan dancing, impromptu singers and other stuff

Yep, Merida is a pretty-happening culture & art center in Yucatan.

I took a day trip to Progresso..

Progresso is a small city on the Gulf Coast which boasts a large white sand beach…

And Mexico’s longest pier. 47 km long! From the beach you cannot see the end of it…

I was hoping to suntan that day, but alas, it was completely cloud covered. sigh. But I took a nap on the sand all the same.

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D. Campeche 

Check out this amazing boutique hotel I stayed at in Campeche last week…

I just LOVE the restoration work and interiors of this hotel! I just HAD TO stay here…

AND, if that’s not enough, it overlooks Campeche’s gorgeous main plaza with stunning views day and night…

What do you think of this place?!

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Wow, Campeche has a LOT of performances going on! Nearly every night!

Here are just a few of the shows I saw while there just 1 week…

and ALL for FREE too!

E. Tulum

north end of Tulum Beach – Mexico

O M G !!! O M G !!! Tulum Beach, Mexico!

THIS is IT for me!

The beach and sea and atmosphere out at Tulum Beach are phenomenal!

Yucatan has been getting better and better, but WOW, I really hit the jackpot this time!

As if the beach isn’t incredible enough… Yesterday I arrived at the beach…started walking along the beautiful shoreline…

within 10 minutes I stumbled upon an all-day dance party on the sand! Trance Music all day!!!! My crowd – with cool clothes, tattoos, piercings, dance-o-maniacs. Fun, fun day.

Needless to say, I ended up dancing on the beach all day. Luckily under shade…

I’m sure I could live at Tulum Beach for a very long time…

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Tulum Beach has several really amazing resorts…

…all with very cool, unique architecture. Most use all natural materials and artsy interiors. Lots of thatched roofing, wood and open air rooms, balconies, restauratns, bars…

…and what views!

The beach and sea are equally stunning…

What do YOU think of Tulum from these photos? Or from being here?

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I am going camping on Tulum Beach for the next many days. Yeah!

Yeah! I just love beach camping! And I’ll be so very happy to stay out on Tulum beach, non-stop, for several days.

…and great dance parties in the works over the weekend, too!

So, I am off-line until further notice (next week) Have a great weekend wherever you are!

…here are a few former beach camping photos of mine…

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dance party on Tulum Beach – Mexico

I just left Tulum Beach this morning..from my 5-day off-grid mini-vacation.

Back to ‘civilization’ & fast internet in Tulum town.

Whew, i have to admit I feel a bit beat after entirely too much socializing, watching live bands and otherwise enjoying beach life.

I had a great time, of course.. But I did almost nothing I had planned on doing! I WAS going to take many long beach walks, visit dozens of super-cool boutique resorts, attend a Sat. night rave, visit Tulum Mayan Ruins up on the cliff not far from my campground…and take lots & lots of photos.

I did not do any of that! Why?

Primarily because my campground/resort was so cool that I just ended up staying there most of the time!

I DID practice yoga & meditation most mornings on the sand-blown beach, swim, suntan, chat with resort staff & fellow campers, watch amazing bands and drink mojitos. smile emoticon

Here are a few views of my vacation location, though I failed to take 1 single photo of my camping spot or ME there or a sunrise or a sunset. Go figure!

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TODAY IN TRAVELS QUESTION:Who here likes beach camping?

The beach is one of my favorite places to camp!

I just LOVE falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the sea.Love being entirely immersed in nature..

Love waking up and stepping out onto the sand to watch sunrise, do yoga & meditation. And just being there.

Anyone else love beach camping? Where have you done that?

Live 70s Heavy Rock Band at Tulum!

Wow, these guys were incredible! Each talented musicians. And they played very tight together.

They played Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Santana, ACDC and other fantastic 60-70s rock n roll!

Who ever plays THAT rock any more? ! It has certainly been many years since I’ve heard it.

Super fantastic! Loved every minute…and they played on 2 days!

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I was invited to join a boat to Tulum Ruins while I was out camping on the beach…

Tulum Mayan ruins are small, but famous as the only Mayan ruins set right on the CAribbean SEa in Yucatan.

Set upon a clifftop, they make a fantastic panorama from the sea…as you can see.

Tulum Mayan Ruins

Tulum Beach runs for at least 10 km along the Caribbean.

It’s packed with very cool boutique resorts!

Here are a few more views of the great architecture and amazing outdoor sitting spaces found all along Tulum beach.

Tulum! Yes!

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You might also enjoy:

My First Impressions of Mexico PHOTO GALLERY: Photos of Valladolid – Mexico PHOTO GALLERY: Photos of Tulum Beach – Mexico